REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LAB ~ APPALACHIA The Effects of Kentucky Virtual High School’s Hybrid Course in Algebra I on Teaching Practices, Classroom Quality, and Adolescent Learning On-Line Collaboration March 2008 Series Challenges to Teaching Hybrid Algebra I

GOALS FOR ON-LINE COLLABORATION On-line Collaboration using Horizon Wimba: Share teaching strategies/resources, Discuss planning instruction, Analyze student work, Share formative and summative assessment instruments/strategies that move learning forward, Provide instructional structures where “feedback is focused on how students can improve related to learning goals,” Others as defined by teachers and as need to address issues in the field – including new learning that promotes student achievement. Set up purpose for the hour, emphasize the importance of sharing and addressing the disconnect students seem to have between the lab time and classroom time.

NUTS & BOLTS Technology Issues Update regarding changes to the Lessons See Spot Light on Algebra – Course Documents, Teacher’s Instructor Guide Control Panel Hints February Results Bring up issue that several teachers expressed surprise that I was coming. Again just to remind you, We asked for input, sent out a schedule, and we reminded everyone during the conversations last month. Focus on the findings from our observations: need for connection between thte two environments, Also, as a reminder we would like a copy of your lesson plan for the day we are coming. It helps us to identify what standards are being addressed that day.

SHARING STRATEGIES, PROCESSES, & STRUCTURES Mathematical Literacy Strategies - Vocabulary Development - Writing to Learn - Reading to Learn - Academic Dialogue - Technology - Manipulatives - Modeling

SHARING STRATEGIES, PROCESSES, & STRUCTURES (continued) Formative or Summative Assessments Created and Used Instructional Issues or Barriers You Are Facing or Encountering Shared Experiences and/or Suggestions from Colleagues (Community of Learners) Processes, Structures, and/or Lessons that Promote Student Achievement Others

REQUESTED TOPICS Storing key concepts in long-term memory. Keeping students focused during the KVHS Lesson. Gauging student learning progress and determining next steps what is the best time for the formal assessment. Interacting with students during the KVHS Lesson in order to draw attention to key concepts. Recognizing key components to graphing linear equations – especially slope-intercept of a line.

High School Survey Student Engagement Students were then asked, “If you have been bored in class, why?”: Material wasn't interesting: 75% Material wasn't relevant to me: 39% Work wasn’t challenging enough: 32% No interaction with teacher: 31% Work was too difficult: 27%

High School Survey Student Engagement (Continued) Teaching methods with reported with high engagement: *83% discussion and debate *83% Group projects 69% activities with active participation (such as presentations, role plays, and art and drama activities Teaching methods with reported with low engagement: 52% teacher lecture (important to note 48% report no engagement in teacher lecture) * (83% are “a little,” “somewhat,” or “very much” excited/engaged)

Hybrid Learning: Maximizing S.E. Create a dynamic learning environment** Scaffolding of expectations- to avoid chaos in a free environment scaffolding must be used (Dwight & Garrison, 2003) Teachers use technology as one tool among many in their instructional repertoire Integrate technology into the larger curricular framework Use computer skills within the context of a meaningful assignment Use tool applications- desktop publishing, Most engagement when allowed to experiment and explore Drill & practice has its place, but “overreliance led quickly to student boredom and frustration.” **students are free to explore, interact with, comment on, modify, and apply the set content and additional content they discover or create through the learning process

Hybrid Learning: Maximizing S.E. (Continued) Transformative learning outcomes (applied directly to relevant practice) Include self-reflection spaces, online discussion, knowledge building spaces, project work, synchronous chat discussions based on readings and in class sessions. Relevant learning scaffolds Instructor intervention, collaborative knowledge, self-directed research Online learning shows consistently that students look for teacher intervention more directly than f2f. “students know exactly when they need the instructor and why” (Moore, 1993; Reynard, 2003)

Keeping students focused during the KVHS Lesson Set expectations about interacting with the notes for the discussion Model your expectations for students, “While listening to the lesson, I wondered…” Use text-coding strategy and focus post lesson discussions around codes Use variety of outlets to create more interaction with the material Make your expectations clear and hold yourself accountable for enforcing them Chunk the lesson Create an alternative assignment

From: What is "Brain-Based Learning"? by Lisa Chipongian “Hart pushes this analogy even further in order to drive home his primary point: if classrooms are to be places of learning, then "the organ of learning," the brain, must be understood and accommodated.” Leslie Hart is the author of Human Brain and Human Learning (1983)

From: Brain Research and Effective Teaching by David Ruenzel “… that the single most effective strategy is to have students compare, contrast, classify, and make analogies and metaphors.” “This was followed by eight other effective teaching strategies, including: having kids summarize and take notes on what they're learning, reinforcing effort and giving appropriate praise, assigning homework that encourages practice, and having students use non-linguistic representations- e.g., using a symbol or diagram to represent something they're learning.”

Summarizing and Note-taking Requires that students distill information into a concise, synthesized form and focus on important points. Research emphasizes the importance of breaking down the process of summarizing into a structure that can be easily understood by students. Students should be encouraged to revisit and revise their notes after initial recording them. They should use different formats and make notes as complete as possible. Verbatim note taking is the least effective note-taking technique

Classroom Instruction That Works Category Ave. ES % Gain Identifying similarities and differences 1.61 45 Summarizing and note taking 1.00 34 Reinforcing effort and providing recognition .80 29 Homework and practice .77 28 Nonlinguistic representations .75 27 Cooperative learning .73 Setting objectives and providing feedback .61 23 Generating and testing hypotheses Questions, cues and organizers .59 22

STORING KEY CONCEPTS IN LONG-TERM MEMORY Making connections (Use of NAGS, Three way tie….) Note-tracking and having them look back at notes and how learning is tracked. Working in groups for constructing knowledge and practicing skills. Attending to brain research strategies.

From: Will the Real Brain-Based Learning Please Stand Up From: Will the Real Brain-Based Learning Please Stand Up? by Jerry Gabriel “You can look at what kinds of experiences change the anatomy of the brain in studies,” he says. “If the animal is in control of the experience, then there is a much more powerful effect on brain structure than if the animal has no control and the experience just sort of happened to the animal. So there are connections like that you can draw by funneling things through the behavioral science.”

ASSESSING STUDENTS FOR GAUGING LEARNING AND DETERMINING NEXT STEPS Use of accountable talk (L. Resnick) through: - Press for clarification and explanation. - Require justification of proposals and challenges. - Recognize and challenge misconceptions. - Demand evidence for claims and arguments. - Interpret and use each other's statements. Attend to any written account of student understanding

INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS DURING THE KVHS LESSON IN ORDER TO DRAW INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS DURING THE KVHS LESSON IN ORDER TO DRAW ATTENTION TO KEY CONCEPTS Plan an applet that reinforces the concept being studied Ask specific questions that they may be able to answer as a result of this lesson Have a set of questions that students answer in small groups Allow students to post/respond to questions on a wiki or blog that furthers their experience in the virtual environment

RECOGNIZING KEY COMPONENTS TO GRAPHING LINEAR EQUATIONS – ESP SLOPE-INTERCEPT OF A LINE Three way tie method each time you are discussing or modeling linear functions Use of Number/Table, Algebraic Symbols/Equation, Graphic Model, Sentence or Oral Description of what story the Models are telling

REMINDERS Office Hours: Monday from 9-10 AM & Tuesdays 1 -2. March On-Line Series ( 13TH Thr, 17TH Mon.,18TH Tue,19TH Wed ) April On-Line Series ( 1ST Tues, 2ND Wed, & 3RD Thurs) – three sessions Help Line: - Bb: 866-590-9240 - KDE, Paula White: 502-564-4772(#4512) paula.white@education.ky.gov - KDE, Kari Welch: 502-564-4772 (#4546), kari.welch@education.ky.gov - KDE, Grace Yeh: 502-564-4772 (#4537) grace.yeh@education.ky.gov - Identify yourself as HYBRID ALGEBRA I TEACHER NCTM Conference: - April 9-12, 2008 ,Salt Lake, Utah - www.nctm.org KCTM Technology Conference: April 19 POLYGON